Multiple access wireless communication systems, such as mobile radio communications systems, periodically require optimization to improve performance, capacity, and customer satisfaction. Recently, femto cells have been introduced by major multiple access wireless communication systems providers/carriers for deployment inside customer buildings to further improve in-building data and voice coverage.
Femto cells are specifically designed for commercial buildings with enterprise customers in mind. Femto cells generally are low power nodes with functionality that is similar to base transceiver stations (e.g., NodeBs). Since allocated frequency spectrum is at a premium and/or is finite, femto cells typically do not have dedicated frequency allocations. Femto cells generally share frequency spectrum with the greater multiple access wireless communication system (e.g., macro network) within which they are located. Accordingly, a certain degree of coverage overlap between the multiple access wireless communication as a whole and individual Femto cells is inevitable. Nevertheless, too much overlap between the multiple access wireless communication system in its entirety and individual Femto cells can cause degradation in terms of network performance and capacity due to interference between the macro network and the femto cells extant within the macro network.
While Femto cells typically have lower priority in relation to other components that form the multiple access wireless communication system and generally reduce their transmitted power in response to the signal strength emanating for the macro network becoming overwhelming, such reduction of transmitted power by femto cells is limited due to the cells' dynamic range.
The above-described deficiencies of today's wireless communications systems are merely intended to provide an overview of some of the problems of conventional systems, and are not intended to be exhaustive. Other problems with the state of the art and corresponding benefits of one or more of the various non-limiting embodiments may become further apparent upon review of the following detailed description.